Policy professionals, researchers, and small investors often struggle to access real-time market data in a way that is both affordable and easy to understand. While tools like Bloomberg Terminal offer comprehensive financial data, they are expensive and overly complex for non-experts. Similarly, free platforms like TradingView cater to traders rather than policymakers. There is a clear gap for a simplified, customizable dashboard that democratizes access to key market insights, such as volatility trends and commodity price expectations.

Simplifying Market Data for Non-Experts

One way to address this gap could be a web-based dashboard that focuses on two core modules: volatility and commodities. The volatility module could display implied volatility—derived from options prices—across different sectors and countries, with alerts for significant changes. The commodities module, an optional expansion, could show futures market data for key goods like oil and wheat, helping users anticipate price shifts. The dashboard would prioritize simplicity, allowing users to select only the metrics they need, while paid tiers could offer advanced features like real-time updates or email alerts.

• Volatility Module: Uses options data to show market uncertainty, with filters for sectors and regions.
• Commodities Module: Displays futures-based price expectations, helping users track inflation risks.

Target Users and Stakeholder Incentives

The dashboard could serve policy professionals who need market insights for economic planning, researchers studying market trends, and small investors seeking accessible data. Users would benefit from affordable, tailored insights without the complexity of professional tools. Developers could treat it as a portfolio project with real-world impact, while data providers might offer discounted API access to support innovation. For example, free-tier APIs like Yahoo Finance could power the initial version, with premium integrations added later.

Execution and Growth Strategy

A minimal viable product (MVP) could start with a basic volatility dashboard using free APIs, tested with policy professionals for feedback. If demand is proven, expansions could include alert systems, commodity data, and partnerships with data providers. Monetization might follow a freemium model—free basic access, with paid tiers for real-time data, custom reports, or enterprise licensing for government use. The key differentiator would be its niche focus: unlike trading platforms, it would pre-filter data for policy relevance, such as preset views for inflation-related commodities.

By starting small and iterating based on user needs, this idea could evolve into a sustainable tool that fills a critical gap in market data accessibility.